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The Day of the Jackal
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The Day of the Jackal (1973) More at IMDbPro »

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The Day of the Jackal (1973) -- A professional assassin codenamed "Jackal" plots to kill Charles de Gaulle, the President of France.

Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   12,006 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Fred Zinnemann
Writers:
Frederick Forsyth (book)
Kenneth Ross (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Day of the Jackal on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
30 July 1973 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Thriller more
Tagline:
The Jackal spent 71 days,56 minutes thinking a bullet into the brain of de Gaulle more
Plot:
A professional assassin codenamed "Jackal" plots to kill Charles de Gaulle, the President of France. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 10 nominations more
User Comments:
Oh Dear ... more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Edward Fox ... The Jackal
Terence Alexander ... Lloyd
Michel Auclair ... Colonel Rolland
Alan Badel ... The Minister
Tony Britton ... Inspector Thomas
Denis Carey ... Casson
Adrien Cayla-Legrand ... The President
Cyril Cusack ... The Gunsmith
Maurice Denham ... General Colbert

Vernon Dobtcheff ... The Interrogator
Jacques François ... Pascal (as Jacques Francois)
Olga Georges-Picot ... Denise
Raymond Gérôme ... Flavigny (as Raymond Gerome)
Barrie Ingham ... St. Clair

Derek Jacobi ... Caron
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Chacal (France)
more
Runtime:
143 min
Country:
UK | France
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The film features no soundtrack music other than digetic/background music from marching bands, street musicians and radios after the first five minutes. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: In the first minutes of the movie the man on the scooter turns right and passes a Peugeot 504 parked on the corner, this car came on the market only in 1969. The Renault 16, available from 1965, can be seen in different scenes of the movie. In the section of the movie where the Jackal makes his preparations for the assassination in Paris you can clearly see one passing the café on the Place de Rennes from where he observes the concierge. more
Quotes:
The Jackal: Half a million. In cash. Half in advance, and half on completion.
Montclair: Half a million francs?
The Jackal: Dollars.
Montclair: Are you mad?
The Jackal: Considering you expect to get France in return, I'd have thought it a reasonable price.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Hellcats (#3.9)" (1990) more

FAQ

Is the film based on a true story?
How does the movie differ from the book?
Is Charles Calthrop The Jackal?
more
25 out of 39 people found the following comment useful:-
Oh Dear ..., 13 September 2004
8/10
Author: Theo Robertson from Isle Of Bute , Scotland

... How am I supposed to review a thriller I liked a lot ? It's much easier to write comments on a thriller I disliked , a good example being that really crap movie with Bruce Willis hired by the Russian mafia and IRA man Richard Gere trying to stop him . I think you know the movie I'm talking about

Frederick Forsyth writes thrillers that not only entertain you but educate you too and Kenneth Ross has written a screenplay that reflects this type of writing . The characters aren't cyphers created just to push the plot along , you can really believe these policemen have been solving cases for years ( notice how the policemen are either dowdy or gruff or both . Very realistic ) while you just know " The Jackal " is the world's most effective hit-man . Director Fred Zimmerman films the movie the best way possible - As a docudrama . Okay it might be a little slow and European to some tastes thirty years after it was filmed but compare it to the aforementioned remake and tell me what ones more nailbiting and compelling ? No contest is it

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Day of the Jackal (1973)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
The Best Thing About This Movie... tgibbs279
Military-style music during the End Credits samt3579
Jackal making copy of the key maiko-6
Olga Georges-Picot insidejohnsmind
How do you think the Jackal killed Madam de Montpellier? mattymatt30
Funniest Moment rh86
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